


Ink

by OodoriSummer



Category: NCT (Band), WAYV
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Tattoos, Alternate Universe - Teachers, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Romance, Character Death, Death, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan is a Little Shit, Light Angst, Love, M/M, Mark Lee (NCT)-centric, Mentioned Dong Si Cheng | WinWin, Mentioned Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun, Mentioned Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Mentioned Mark Lee (NCT), Mentioned Qian Kun, Mentioned Wong Kun Hang | Hendery, Mentioned Xiao De Jun | Xiao Jun, Minor Character Death, OT18 (NCT), OT21 (NCT), Platonic Soulmates, Romance, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:22:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25176853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OodoriSummer/pseuds/OodoriSummer
Summary: In a world where you and your soulmate share the same tattoo.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Suh Youngho | Johnny, Dong Si Cheng | WinWin/Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee, Wong Kun Hang | Hendery/Xiao De Jun | Xiao Jun
Comments: 22
Kudos: 78





	1. Ink - Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten's had the same tattoo on his forearm since the day he turned 20. Some years later in the middle of a coffee shop, he sees a man with the exact same one in the exact same spot.

Ten couldn’t believe it with his own two eyes. 

Just two metres away from him stood a tall, handsome man donning a tattoo on his forearm: it was only one colour but so awfully intricate, you can’t possibly miss the jaggering swords sticking out of the embellished diamond, nor the high sun blazing with brilliance or even the compass-like doodle sitting at the top (or bottom, depending on where you’re looking). 

The man was ordering a coffee at the counter, nodding along with the barista standing on the other side of the counter. Ten spotted the tattoo when he brought up a hand to run it through his hair, and he felt so incredibly lucky that he looked up from his sketchbook right at that moment. You see, everyone gets a tattoo the night after they turn 20. 

Ten remembers staying up with Sicheng. They did everything they could to stay awake - coffee, tea, movies, jogging, jumping. Many people have tried to stay awake to see the tattoo appear on their bodies, but everyone reported the same thing: they’d fall asleep regardless and wake up with it. It was a fruitless experiment, but when they awoke the following morning they couldn’t regret it because Sicheng’s tattoo was gorgeous: a blue slithering snake around his wrist.

These tattoos are shared with one other person - your soulmate. People thought these tattoos only appeared on your romantic partner, but after centuries of humanity waking up with the mysterious markings and finding their matches, it turns out that it can turn up on all kinds of people. Your soulmate isn’t just your romantic partner but your potential best friend, or even your enemy (but that’s very rare).

Sicheng found his match not too long after; he went overseas on a short exchange trip where he met Jung Jaehyun. They tried dating at first, believing they were destined to be romantic partners, but they quickly found out that they were better off as friends. It didn’t upset Sicheng in the slightest, but now he constantly worries about whether his future lifelong partner will be lifelong at all. 

Ten already had his tattoo for nearly two years when Sicheng got his; he had woken up from a night of wild birthday celebrations with a pounding headache. He recalls the long morning he spent staring at it, stroking and tapping the mesmerising pattern. Somehow, he understood the meaning behind the mark immediately, and it warmed his heart like a blazing fire knowing he was connected to someone out there. That someone being his romantic partner. At least, that’s what he hoped he understood. 

Ten remembers the time Hendery found his soulmate. He had called him after falling off the face of the earth for two weeks - no calls, no messages, no social media posts - to hear him sobbing on phone, 

“Ten-ge… I met my soulmate…” he nodded the first time so he gave his friend a gentle ‘yes’ to let him know that he was listening, but Hendery couldn’t say anything else beyond that. His cries broke Ten’s heart, especially without knowing what was going on with his tattooed soulmate.

The phone call had gone on for twenty minutes by the time Ten rolled into Hendery’s driveway, but no one was home. It was nearly 11 in the dead of night, so there should’ve been a light from a room or even another car in the driveway, but nothing, 

“Guanheng, where are you?” he could hear Hendery tilt his head in confusion over the speaker somehow. Neither of them had exchanged words in the last fifteen minutes, Hendery didn’t even know Ten was driving,

“I’m outside the hospital.”

Xiao Dejun was pronounced dead at 9:27pm. He was walking across the road in the city at early dusk when a car came barrelling at him out of nowhere. Hendery was the last person he contacted - in fact, the _only_ person he had contacted the past two weeks - so he was the one called to the emergency room. 

He could see Dejun holding for dear life. His hand was only holding Hendery’s loosely but it was clear in his eyes, 

_“I don’t want to die,”_ they met in the locker room at the gym, so imagine their surprise when they spotted their matching tattoos on each other’s collar bones,

_“Not when I just met you,”_ a thin-lined butterfly adorned with lace, 

_“Please don’t leave me.”_ Hendery could still see the hickeys he left on Dejun's body when he was ripped away from him. 

Ten found his friend sitting on the ground just outside the entrance. His eyes were glazed over, staring at nothing in particular, with his shaking hands in his lap. His tears stopped sometime on Ten’s way to the hospital. 

Hendery couldn’t love again after that. How can you when your destined lover dies right in front of your eyes? He covers up as much as he can now to ensure he doesn’t have to see the butterfly on his chest. 

Ten has seen the tattoos make and break people. His best friend, Kun, found a match, only to find out that they illegally paid someone else to alter their tattoo and make it identical to his just so they could be with him. His brother, Minhyung, immediately hated his soulmate when it turned out to be an annoying classmate he had since kindergarten. There is no just knowing what happens when you meet them. 

The tall man got his coffee from the barista - an americano, Ten’s favourite order. He saw that he was making his way out of the coffee shop, weaving his way past everybody to head for the exit. 

Is this man the one? Will this be the one that he will love and live with forever? The one that will make him smile and laugh in his darkest times? Or the one that will disappear in two weeks? Two days? Will this be the one destiny will make him despise to no end?

He had to be sure. 

“Excuse me.” 

The man’s hand was already on the door when he turned to look at the one that called out for him. Goodness, he was way more good-looking up close. Ten felt the words choke up in his throat before he finally asked, 

“Can I see your tattoo?”


	2. Ink - Johnny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny has met a man who has the exact same tattoo as him, so he does what every other person would do: take them out for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be honest, this was going to be left as a oneshot but after seeing the amount of hits I got + my friends were mad at me for leaving it as a cliffhanger, I've decided to write a chapter on Johnny's perspective. 
> 
> Does anyone want to see more? Perhaps with other members?

It was an instant connection. 

The second Ten got a better look at the tattoo on his forearm, it felt like pure light bursting out of his chest. When Ten showed the identical markings on his, they immediately sat down at a table and talked, and talked, and talked. Time became forgotten and it was just the two of them in their own bubble, their own space, their own happiness. 

Ten flipped through his sketchbook and detailed nearly every single doodle, save for the numerous sketches he has of their shared tattoo. Johnny kept saying over and over how he didn’t expect to meet his soulmate that day, in the middle of a  _ coffee shop _ of all places. 

They learned everything they could about each other. About how Ten feared for his fate but was also incredibly excited, how he’s seen his friends find their partners and leave them anxious for their futures, and how he contemplated whether or not to approach Johnny and let him walk out that door. 

Johnny told him about his job - usually, the idea of telling a complete stranger made his heart rattle because it’s not a typical job nor an encouraged one. It’s seen as strange, unnatural, and simply a disorder in the balance of the world. 

But Ten was no stranger, he was his soulmate. 

He works at a company called Neo Culture Ink. Employees like Johnny are ‘rented’ and go out to be someone’s partner, to act as someone’s soulmate. Customers approach the company and pay for the service by the hour, then they will specify whether they want a romantic partner or simply a best friend. There will be days when Johnny takes his client out for a movie, a hike, or even a trip to the beach. Other days, he will stay shut in with them and just cuddle until their hours are done. He’s been working there for years now and he’s a high demand man, so it pays considerably well. 

Part of the gig involves drawing the customer’s tattoo on their body. Johnny sometimes doesn’t have the time to remove his customer’s tattoo, so he covers it up with makeup, puts on a new one, and goes to his next schedule. This means he has to cover up his own tattoo, his  _ real _ one, all around the clock. 

He didn’t think he could find his soulmate, not when he's busy pretending to be someone else’s. He took the job to get through college, but it eventually became a full-time gig that removed any idea of pursuing his destined partner. He forgets the small details that make his tattoo distinguishable, so how was he expected to spot it on a stranger?

So unlike his partner, who’s had hours to look over and even draw it, Johnny hardly gets the chance to look at his -  _ their _ tattoo. His eyes drifted down to Ten’s arm, and without really thinking, he gently took it in his hands and just stared at it. It was beautiful, so ornate. His thumb traced the outline of the sun. He’s had many tattoos put on his body, some pretty, some weird. He’s had multiple on his body at once, but none of them could compare to this one. 

Because it was his. His and Ten’s. Ten, who could’ve become a random encounter but instead his fate. Ten, who nearly grabbed him from behind and asked to see his tattoo, the one he could finally wear out because he didn’t have a schedule to attend to. Ten, the one who sent a spark in him that only ignited a flame that has yet to dwindle, and one that he doesn’t want to stop. 

The coffee shop had to close so Ten and Johnny gathered themselves and left the cozy space, but their time together didn’t stop there. Night had befallen the two of them; the city bustled with the night life with people walking by in their bright party outfits and entertainers lining the streets to grab a quick fix of cash. The new lovers made their way through the city with no particular destination in mind, as long as they were with each other. 

Johnny knew the best date spots because he’d been to so many of them. They wandered for a while before Johnny finally dragged his soulmate to a restaurant. It wasn’t fancy, nor was it easy to find; it’s more of a secret spot that you have to stumble upon when you’ve been to the city long enough. It was well lit with white lights accompanied by red, green and blue neon signs in a language neither of them can understand. It was surprisingly crowded but still had enough room for the two, in a corner where they can go unnoticed by the rest of the world. 

The night continued over a big bowl of  phở. They got to learn more about each other, about their interests, their hobbies and their lives. They both know they’re sharing that feeling of nostalgia, like best friends catching up after a decade of not seeing each other, except today was the first time they ever met. The mood doesn’t get dull, they can just keep talking and it’s like they’ve known the other for years. 

Soulmate tattoos are crazy in this world. You literally get to meet the same person over and over in every lifetime because you are  _ tied _ to them for all eternity and beyond. Somehow in someway you are bound to find them and click with them from the moment you meet. But you’re not made for your soulmate, nor are they made for you, but rather fate lets you make your merry way into their arms and lets you handle everything else. 

Johnny finally understands. The sparkle in Ten’s eyes was so intoxicating to him. His heart was pushing at the walls of his chest, begging for him to make room because it’s so full. He had to let out a deep breath to calm himself and do what he can for his poor heart, 

“So, what’s your job like?” the blonde one was piqued with interest. He was fairly familiar with the sort of work Johnny did, but he’s never had personal experience with it, 

“I’ll be honest, it was awkward at first,” Like it was said, Johnny is hesitant to talk about his work. He would say there was a small community of people who support this field, 

“I mean, my first ever client invited me to their house and cooked dinner for me. It was lovely, but definitely not what I expected,”

Ten was nodding along, his hands propped delicately under his chin and his focus nowhere close to the phở, 

“How far can you go with them?” Usually, this sort of question would irk Johnny, it’s not like he was actually selling his body to his customers,

“I can’t do anything too intimate with them, company policy. Cuddling  _ with _ clothes on is as far as I can go, doesn’t mean my own customers have stopped there.” 

His lover nodded his head in understanding. It was nice to finally be able to talk about his job without feeling judged, but he knows he can’t continue it. 

All of his coworkers are people who haven’t met their soulmates. It’s mostly young people, around Johnny’s age, but he’s had colleagues up to sixty years old. People have gone their whole lives without finding the person that shares the same tattoo. It was normal for employees to quit shortly after finding them, and now Johnny is bound to do the same. 

Tomorrow, he will go to his company and officially resign, for he can’t continue a job of faking if he’s found someone to be real with. 


	3. Ink - Xiaojun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Xiaojun has dreamed of meeting his soulmate over and over, but not once did he think he'd meet them in a locker room.

With one final clang, Xiaojun finished his last weight-lifting set. He sent Lucas his signature double-finger guns before heading to the locker room. Sweat dripped off his chin, accentuating his beautiful features with glisten. 

After making his way to his locker, Xiaojun grabbed a towel and made for the shower. He did what he could to clean off his body in the short amount of time he wanted to be there, scrubbing here, scrubbing there. When he was done, he simply wrapped the towel on his hips, stepped out, and went straight to the mirror. It was fogged from the hot steam drifting in the air, but a quick wipe wasn’t troublesome. 

He reached for the closest hairdryer and began going down on his sopping hair, now that it was wet from both the sweat and the shower. 

Xiaojun ran his fingers through his hair roughly as the dryer blew hot air, making sure that he kept his eyes on everywhere else but the topless men marching around the locker room. It’s a public locker room, but it didn’t stop the burly ones from trying to show off. He himself would glance at his figure from time to time, but he was too shy to stare at himself for longer than a few seconds. 

Sometimes he would focus on his tattoo, his soulmate tattoo. A butterfly rested on his left collarbone, sitting up ruler-straight like a decorative piece on a wall. The outline was black, making it stick out on his bare chest. Its wings were webbed with lace, except it was hardly noticeable because it was made like a white-ink tattoo. Xiaojun thinks it’s absolutely beautiful. 

Something flashed at the edge of his peripheral vision, but he figured it was a person so he held himself back from looking. Then he realised the person was standing  _ really _ close, like, right next to him, and that’s considered pretty close in a locker room. He couldn’t contain his curiosity anymore, so he flicks his eyes over to the man. 

From the one second stare, Xiaojun made out three things: 

  1. He was drying his hair, but with a towel instead of the hair dryers provided 
  2. He also has a small tattoo on his collarbone
  3. He was shirtless with a grey towel hanging on his hips



He didn’t know how he could contain his momentary shock, but he made sure the man didn’t catch him looking before Xiaojun glanced over again to get a better look. 

He couldn’t believe it. It was the spitting image of his - a black butterfly with white, intricately decorated wings. Even the posing was a perfect duplicate. How in the world could Xiaojun run his soulmate in the middle of a gym?!

He must’ve been staring, because the man turned to him with a bit of a goofy smile. The fourth thing Xiaojun can notice now is that he’s good looking,  _ really _ good looking, 

“I may be a handsome lad, but it’s not appropriate to stare,” he heard him chuckle with his chest, the one with the tattoo on it, 

“I-I’m…” but Xiaojun couldn’t speak. He was kind of hoping that the man would notice his tattoo so he wouldn’t have to say anything, but he turned back to the mirror to dry his hair once more, 

“I’m… I’m Xiao Dejun, but my mates call me Xiaojun.” he finally mustered the courage to say something while still turning the gears in his head. The man laughed and let out a sigh, 

“So the boy speaks,” he put the towel down on the bench and then turned to Xiaojun, 

“Wong Kunhang, or Huang Guanheng depending on where you’re from, but I also go by Hendery,” 

The floodgates broke down in Xiaojun’s chest. 

_ Hendery… _

It was the perfect name, like a crisp, green field sprinkled with wet dew. He felt his heart flutter as if his-  _ their _ butterfly came to life and started to dance around the field. Xiaojun knew his eyes were focused on Hendery, because suddenly he looked like the most perfect thing in the world and he couldn’t help but look at it. Meanwhile, Hendery had an eyebrow raised, waiting for Xiaojun to say something back, 

“Your… your tattoo…” Xiaojun lifted a finger to point at Hendery’s chest. He looked down at it then back up, but his face was contorted in confusion, 

“It’s the same as mine!” 

He seemed to take another minute to process it, once again looking at his chest and then drifting his eyes over to Xiaojun’s. Xiaojun almost leapt back when the man suddenly jumped and leaned in  _ way _ too close to get a better look, his hands almost touching Xiaojun’s bare body. He mumbled something under his breath but Xiaojun could only catch the word ‘soulmate’. 

Hendery marveled at the tattoo for a while longer, just to make sure it really matched his. He eventually look up at Xiaojun with the most elated smile, 

“I,” he started, “would  _ love _ to get to know you more, but I have to head to work,” Xiaojun couldn’t say anything, his head felt so light and his heart so full for the man he just met. 

They exchanged their contact information before Hendery finally left, hair still partially wet. Xiaojun spent the rest of the day on his routine, but his mind could only go back to that moment: meeting his soulmate in a misty locker room, half naked. 

* * *

The next two weeks were pure magic. 

Xiaojun and Hendery met the next day to get to know each other, and everything just clicked. Almost every single one of their hobbies, interests and likes lined up with one another, save for a mismatch here and there, but that didn’t matter for the new soulmates. Everything they said to each other sent them into a rabbit role of even more topics, even more things to just  _ talk _ about, and not once did it get boring. They didn’t even realise the sun already said goodbye when they finally looked at the world outside of their little bubble. 

When they parted from each other that night, they continued talking to each other on the phone. It wasn’t until about three in the morning when Hendery made the first call to go to bed, which they reluctantly did. 

They spent every free minute with each other. Xiaojun and Hendery became gym buddies, a bit to Lucas’ dismay, who’s yet to meet his match, and would always go to see a movie after their session. Hendery would step out of work to see Xiaojun waiting for him, his happy, toothy smile and all. Xiaojun once found Hendery at his house at 11pm on their sixth day because they simply couldn’t stay away from each other. From there on, they were inseparable. 

This was common for soulmates: to find the other and break away for a little while. No contact with anyone else is pursued, sometimes people will skip work, all just to be with their soulmate. It’s a moment in everyone’s lives when you’ve literally found the person to spend the rest of your life with. Whether it’s your lover, your best friend, or your enemy, you’re going to spend every living second you can with them until the initial magic wears off. That magic is there for a lifetime and for every one after that, as it goes for soulmates. 

* * *

Xiaojun was lying down on his bed, playing a movie on his phone. He would say that Hendery was doing the same thing, but he was just lying down beside him and tracing the tattoo on Xiaojun’s collarbone, easily visible with him wearing nothing but a singlet. 

The tattoo part about soulmates is merely an indication of their connection, but knowing that it’s a marking that you share with somebody makes it all the more special. It’s just yours and theirs. That’s what Xiaojun believes, at least. He’s heard many interpretations of it.

Hendery’s slender fingers felt so ticklish on his skin. Light as a feather, but electrifying nonetheless. Xiaojun is  _ so _ ticklish, something Hendery found out pretty early on. Regardless, Xiaojun tried to keep his composure so they can enjoy their movie,  _ it’s not that ticklish _ , he kept telling himself, 

“Junnie, which is the superior species, cats or dogs?” it was a very sudden question, and on top of that it was laced with the nickname that would often throw him off guard, but Xiaojun gave his lover an answer in a heartbeat, 

“Dogs. Next question.” but Hendery didn’t give him another question. Instead, he sat up to look down at the thick-browed boy, 

“Uhh, wrong. It’s cats!” Xiaojun continued lying down, raising his eyebrow at him, 

“Are we really doing this right now?”

Apparently they were. 

Xiaojun sat up,

“Cats aren’t as bothersome as dogs, so they’re easier to take care of.”

“Dogs are more  _ fun _ , you can run around with them. Plus, they’re hilarious!”

“Cats are funny, too! Have you seen their reactions to cucumbers?”

Hendery yanked his boyfriend’s phone to look up a video for evidence, but Xiaojun snatched it back before he made it to the YouTube app, 

“Dogs keep you fit and healthy-!”

_ “We both go to the gym!” _

They held a stare-down for a moment or two, waiting for the other to say something else, but instead they erupted in laughter. They fell back on the bed together, their laughter eventually reducing to giggling. When it finally died down, the two men looked at,  _ no _ , stared at each other. 

Hendery is very handsome, but Xiaojun knows he’s so much more than that. He’s sweet, he’s caring, he’s funny, adorable and loveable. He’s dreamed about meeting his soulmate so many times, but not once did he think he’d actually be so perfect. Getting lost in those beautiful eyes has become his favourite pastime, 

“I love you, Hendery.”

It was the first time the ‘L’ word was actually said between the two of them, and although it was kind of a mutual understanding from the beginning, it still surprised Hendery. It was evident in the way his whole body froze. 

The silence hung in the air. And yet, it wasn’t awkward but warm. It may have been the first time but it felt so comforting, because,  _ yes _ , they do love one another. Hendery’s frozen expression melted in the enveloping warmth, his eyes becoming soft as Xiaojun saw Hendery looking over him, 

“When we move in together, we’re getting a cat,” Xiaojun’s face scrunched up; he’d rather have a dog. 

Whatever works for them, it seems. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don’t hold me accountable for any incorrect information I have about owning a cat or dog because I’ve owned neither.


	4. Ink - Hendery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Xiaojun leaves Hendery alone for a few hours. It's the first time they've ever been apart.

They didn’t want to be apart, no two soulmates would want to when their relationship was still fresh, but Xiaojun was insisting: that it’d be good for them, even if it’s just an hour or two; that it’s just a bit of practice for the future. That’s what he told Hendery, at least, 

“Babe, _baby_ , I won’t be long, I promise!” But Hendery wasn’t having it. He wanted to keep cuddling Xiaojun even though it’s already been six hours since they started lying on the couch. All they’ve done in those six hours is watch two movies and nap, occasionally getting up for snacks or for the bathroom,

“Junnie, _pleeaaaaaaase!_ ” Hendery just wanted him in his arms for a little while longer, like, another six hours longer. 

It only took another twenty minutes to finally sway Hendery to let Xiaojun go, but he wasn’t telling him where he was going and it irritated him. Hendery realised that he wasn’t going to give it up, so there was no point bugging him any further. 

The sun was about to turn the sky orange and pink when the Xiaojun’s front door clicked softly. Hendery was left on his own. 

He felt empty. This was quite literally the first time they’ve been apart in two weeks, and they only met two weeks ago. Almost every single minute they’d spent was together, not once were they more than two rooms apart except when one was at work, but at least they knew where they were. Hendery, at the moment, didn’t have a clue where Xiaojun was.

He couldn’t stay on the couch, it didn’t feel right without his lover there, so he got up and began to walk around to ease himself. He wandered into the bathroom, his reflection meeting him in the mirror. The pout on his face was all too obvious even though it was incredibly subtle. Hendery pulled his lips into a smile, but it couldn’t cheer him up.

He missed Xiaojun.

The man left the bathroom and found himself in Xiaojun’s bedroom. The sheets were still a tangled mess, left the exact same way they were hours ago. He fell into the mattress, where his nose hit the pillow; Xiaojun’s scent immediately hit him and he felt drunk. The scent circulated his head like crazy and it made him dizzy. Hendery hugged the pillow so close to his face, if only it could come any closer. 

It smelled like fresh rain and coffee, probably because they ran into the late stormy night just to dance and kiss. They were only wearing simple clothes like sweats and tees, so they got soaked through within minutes. When it got too cold and too wet for them, Xiaojun and Hendery went inside and went for the bed after a change of clothes and a towel dry. Xiaojun made coffee while Hendery pulled up a movie. They fell asleep together once their mugs were empty and their bodies completely dry, drinking in the warmth of the other as the storm passed through the night. 

He couldn’t do it. 

But he had to pull through for Xiaojun. For them. 

_“Why is our tattoo a butterfly, anyways?” Xiaojun and Hendery strolled the public gardens with their fingers intertwined, watching the butterflies flutter about as they swung their arms,_

_“I don’t know,” Hendery replied, “But it’s so pretty, isn’t it?” He poked Xiaojun on the collarbone, right where his tattoo is, and he retracted from his touch, giggling,_

_“You know I’m ticklish! Stop it!”_

  
  


Hendery felt the grogginess pulling at his eyes - he lazed around and napped all day, yet he felt the need to sleep. 

Maybe it was the whiffs of Xiaojun’s scent. 

Maybe he just really missed him, and he had nothing else to occupy him…

The sun was just winking on the horizon when Hendery fell asleep on the bed. 

  
  


And darkness occupied the night when his phone woke him up. 

It was ringing from the other room, so he had to pull himself off the bed to answer the call. He could feel the dizziness racking his brain, but he woke up a little bit more when he saw the unknown number, 

“Wong Kunhang? This is New Vision Hospital, we need you to come here as soon as you can, it’s about Xiao Dejun.”

* * *

Hendery shoved the doors, almost tripping over when he made it through the hospital entrance, 

“WHERE IS HE?!”

A nurse took him to the room Xiaojun was being held. There was one other nurse in the room watching over him, but they left once they saw Hendery enter. 

This was going to be a difficult moment. 

Hendery almost collapsed on his knees at the sight, tears flooded his eyes and his heart began to ache. Xiaojun’s eyes were hardly open, but they were on Hendery. He was careful to take his hand into his to feel his lover’s touch, to feel his warmth even for just a little bit, because he knows how delicate Xiaojun was right now. 

It was a car accident, that’s what the nurse told him. He couldn’t hear anything else after that because Hendery didn’t want to believe that Xiaojun was right here, in pain and suffering just because they spent a few hours apart. Just because he said it would be good for them. 

But he was. Red and blue painted his skin like the ugliest masterpiece. His body relaxed against the bed, almost too close to sleeping. His eyes were dulled with pain as they surveyed Hendery’s shaking body. Neither of them could say anything to each other; Xiaojun was too weak and Hendery was too shocked, so they stayed like that with the heart monitor beeping in the back. 

Some minutes of silence passed before Hendery felt Xiaojun move. His finger rubbed Hendery’s hand in the most hardly noticeable way, but he could tell he was calling for his attention. He sat up, wiped the near-dry tears and leaned forward to see Xiaojun looking past him, his eyes drifted slightly to the side, looking at something. 

Hendery turned around to see a bouquet on the table. A bunch of roses. It looked half wrecked with some of its petals littering the table, and honestly, Hendery’s heart felt the same. A note peeked out of the pink wrapping, which Hendery reached for, 

> **_To Hendery,_ **
> 
> **_You’re so wonderful, so unparalleled,_ **
> 
> **_Every minute, every second, I’ll love u,_ **
> 
> **_Xiaojun._ **

Suddenly, Hendery knew. 

Xiaojun left to buy flowers. The closest florist was only a few blocks away, so he was hit by an oncoming car. He didn’t come back soon enough because he was hurt, because he wasn’t by Hendery’s side. He turned back to Xiaojun. Warmth lit his chest, replacing the shock and suffering he felt before; he could see the slight smile in Xiaojun’s lips. 

Then he noticed the heart monitor. 

And a few seconds after that, its ringing pierced the air. 

Xiao Dejun was pronounced dead at 9:27pm, roughly five hours after being hit by the car. Hendery had to be pulled away from his lifeless body, still red, still blue, but still with death. He caught a glimpse of their tattoo as they dragged Hendery out of the room, the butterfly webbed with lace. Tears and cries drowned the hospital hallways for hours before Hendery left, unable to stand the idea of being in the place his soulmate had died. 

Hendery sat on the curb just outside the entrance for a while, looking out into nowhere in particular. He took his phone out of his pocket, ignoring the wallpaper of him and Xiaojun, and called a number, the first number in two weeks that wasn’t Xiaojun, 

“Ten-ge, I met my soulmate.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Xiaodery's story will have a part 3! Stay tuned!


	5. Ink - Hendery, part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hendery gets a pet to help him get over Xiaojun.

Hendery has mostly forgotten what their tattoo looks like.

He never looks in the mirror when he’s topless. He wears rashies whenever he goes to the beach with his friends. He didn’t even go into the butterfly conservatory when Ten took him to the zoo; it was just too painful. 

It’s been two years since Xiaojun died. The moment Hendery heard the ringing in that hospital room, something snapped in him. Like everything didn’t matter anymore, like his heart turned off and his whole body shut down. Months and months were spent trying to recover from his lover’s untimely tragedy, but ultimately, Hendery was never the same. 

How can you live knowing that the person you were literally destined to be with died only after two weeks of knowing each other? The photos they could’ve taken, the memories they could’ve made, the growth they could’ve gone through, it was all gone. Hendery’s forgotten what Xiaojun looks like too. Perhaps he recalls his thick eyebrows and his beautiful eyes, but overall it’s a fuzzy image that he doesn’t want to clarify. 

* * *

Ten made the two of them breakfast, but he had to drag Hendery out of bed to make him eat. Hendery has his better days and this wasn’t one of them, 

“Come on, man! I even cut fruit for you - I know you like that in your pancakes,” but his buddy only groaned. The shorter had to pull on Hendery’s arms to get him into the dining room. 

The faint clink of their cutlery and Ten’s morning playlist is all that resonated throughout the house. Ten was wearing a long sleeve because he knew it was still painful for Hendery to see soulmate tattoos, albeit he knew he was being too cautious because Hendery was actually getting better. However, he figured he had the one final touch to get his friend’s life on track again, 

“What do you think about owning a pet?” Hendery looked up at his friend, then back on the food, seemingly in contemplation, 

“That’s…” Hendery paused, “Not a bad idea, actually.”

* * *

A bell chimed when Hendery and Ten entered the shop. Ten stopped to greet the owner, but Hendery made a beeline for the cats. He couldn’t help but smile when he saw the cute variety of kittens, either playing with one another or dozing off in their own corner. They’ve always been Hendery’s favourite - he even argued about it with Xiaojun during their relationship. 

Something gripped his chest, it’s an all too familiar feeling. But before he could spiral, Ten was pulling on his arm again to take him somewhere else, 

“How about you get a dog instead?” How ridiculous. Hendery’s a cat person, how could he possibly want a dog? He could think of every reason, every single one he used on Xiaojun when they had the cats vs dogs argument: Cats are easier to care for, they’re funny  _ and _ they come first in the alphabet!

Therefore, there weren’t any puppies that caught Hendery’s eye. Not initially, at least. Ten tried pointing to a few that could be suitable for his friend, like the shepherds, the dalmatians, the jack russells... 

And then there were the beagles. You see, Hendery would’ve gone right past them like the others, but there was one beagle in particular that grabbed his attention: It was on its back, its pink belly exposed for view, and it had the most peculiar birthmark on its chest. The mark was on full display, showing itself proudly like a hunter’s prize. It was small, a little bit fuzzy on the edges but Hendery knew what it was because he’s kissed that exact same marking many times before. 

A butterfly. 

“I want this one,” it was pure instinct, and Hendery kind of kicked himself for acting upon instinct for a dog, 

“This one, he’s… cute,” He couldn’t just tell the owner that he wanted the beagle because it had the same tattoo he shared with his dead soulmate, but cute seemed to be a good reason, right?

… Right?

* * *

It was an instant connection. 

Hendery never would’ve thought that he’d fall head over heels for a dog, but he did. Ten and Hendery took her (turns out it was a girl) back to his place and got her to settle in. When the sun was close to setting, Ten had to leave to go back to Johnny so it was just the two of them. And she was the most adorable companion Hendery could ever ask for. 

He named her Bella, after her beauty. She was such a wonderful dog. Every morning, Hendery will wake up to her right next to his head, rolled up like the cutest cinnamon bun. She’d follow him everywhere around the house, her pitter patters making Hendery’s heart skip with the same rhythm. 

The strange thing about soulmates is that you’re destined to be together for  _ every single lifetime _ . Soulmates will find each other one way or another, in one form or another. Hendery was skeptical but he just somehow knew that Bella was the reincarnation of his beloved Xiaojun. He knew because it no longer hurt to think about him; he could think about the moment they met in the gym, half naked and hair wet; he could think about the nights they laid together, tired but not so tired from their long day; he could think about the sweet kisses they shared in the rain the day before he died, it was so, so cold, but so, so good. He could think about it and it’d make him happy. 

When Xiaojun died he didn’t feel alive anymore. It was like living in a big house where the lights were always off, where darkness creeped every corner and he could hardly see the light. You couldn’t do anything in a dark house, so days are spent stumbling, panicking and grieving. Anxiety raked at his heart, making him cry it out until he fell asleep with memories of his lover. 

When Bella came around she became Hendery’s little source of light. She lit up the shadows and guided him towards the happier things in life that he hadn’t seen. The house became warm and welcoming, it was almost like having Xiaojun again. He knew because he felt the same for Bella that he did for Xiaojun - like they were meant to find each other and just be together. In some strange way, he knew Bella was the same. She may just be a dog but Hendery just  _ knew _ that the love Bella returned was mutual and that they will be companions for a long time. 

Every night, Hendery would kiss Bella on the head like he did with Xiaojun; to tell her that she is safe, she is loved, and that he was going to be right there when she woke up. He wasn’t going to let his soulmate be alone, not again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of Xiaodery's series!
> 
> Next... Markhyuck?


	6. Ink - Mark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark meets Donghyuck and he hates him, and everytime he thinks he never has to see him again, he's proven wrong.

Mark will never forget the day he woke up with his soulmate tattoo. 

He was excited, to put it simply. The second he woke up he ripped his blanket off his body and dashed to the bathroom. Everyday during the week leading up to his 20th, he told himself that he will wake up and search for his tattoo while looking in the mirror. Tattoos can show up anywhere on the body so Mark didn’t want to waste ten minutes frantically looking for it while sitting on his bed. 

He was greeted by a smiling boy - no, _man_ , in the mirror. Mark deliberately wore long sleeves so he could anticipate his tattoo for a little while longer. Yeah, he was really excited, 

“Um…” Then something hit him, something that he hadn’t considered, “Where… should I look first?” 

His hands and feet were clear, that much was certain. It’d be too easy to spot it in the mirror if he took his shirt off, so instead, Mark pulled down his pants. 

Shins, clear. Calves, clear. Thighs, also clear. Checking two or three times wasn’t harmful. 

The excitement couldn’t be contained anymore. He pinched the edge of his shirt and pulled it off, throwing it away to wherever he chucked his pants, and Mark saw it straight away. 

His lower bicep crested a gorgeous, brightly-coloured sunflower. It was small, smaller than his palm, but the little bee that sat on its petals and kissed the seeds made its size worth it. A fire lit in his chest. The warmth was so comforting, so tender. It made Mark feel like he was already in love with his soulmate, wherever they are in the world, and he was set to find them. 

  
  


A year passed and he wasn’t successful in finding them. That’s okay, he tried telling himself, you’re not likely to meet your soulmate in the first year unless you already knew them. 

* * *

It was the second last lecture of the semester. Even though his classmates were still going around and asking, “Oh, is it really? I thought this was the last one…” Mark definitely knew, because he’s tracked every lecture he’d been to. You gotta keep up with everything in university, that was his plan. 

He met Lee Donghyuck in that second last lecture. Sure, you’ve got your students who sign up to 9am lectures only to skip them and watch them later, but why did it take all semester for this kid to actually turn up? Mark will never know. 

The sun-kissed boy immediately caught his eye. He was god awful late, and by that Mark meant two minutes late because the professor had already started to speak. Donghyuck _literally_ stumbled into the lecture because he didn’t know how to open the door, making it all the more evident that he’d never turned up before. His opened coffee cup almost spilled on the carpet, sending a wave of cringe down Mark’s back. 

Mark will never admit two things. 

One, he’s judgemental towards students that seemingly don’t care about their education. If you decide to go to university, why bother skipping your classes? But he wasn’t going to actually ask that question, it’s not like it was his business. 

Two, Lee Donghyuck was very cute. He asked himself that morning why he kept staring at Donghyuck as he tripped through the door and made his way to an empty seat - he didn’t do that to other students who turned up late. Once again, Mark wouldn’t admit that this new boy was pretty good looking. 

But there is one thing that Mark is very happy to say out loud, and it’s that Lee Donghyuck is the most annoying person that’s got to have lived on this planet. He thought he would never have to see him again after that lecture, where he just _sat there_ without even taking _any notes_. Who does that?!

But then next semester rolled around, and Donghyuck was in _every single one_ of Mark’s courses. He was doing primary education, that makes sense. Perhaps he’d been in Mark’s previous courses and he wasn’t aware, but it turns out Donghyuck just transferred from another university after getting the credit he needed to study education at Mark’s university. He wished he didn’t know all of this information, but he did. 

And Donghyuck kept following him every semester. Every time they’ll be in the same courses and the same classes, where Mark had to put up with his disorganisation and tardiness, 

> **EDU2080 GC - brb drowning in coffee**
> 
> Ding-Donghyuck: Yo what day is that assignment due?
> 
> Markle Lee: It was due yesterday, numb brains
> 
> Ding-Donghyuck: Oop lmaooo okay brb you guys

Mark didn’t have the faintest clue as to how Donghyuck passed. 

And, to Mark’s ongoing annoyance, they always got the same placements. Just when he thought he could get away just a little bit at a school, he’ll find Donghyuck in the teachers’ lounge brewing coffee. For once, Mark turned up after Donghyuck. 

  
  


There was perhaps one time where Mark had to put his hatred aside. It was in their final year. _Thank the gods_ , Mark blindly thought, _I won’t have to see him again after we graduate_. 

It was two o’fuck in the morning, and Mark wanted to phrase it that way because that is way too late in the night and definitely way too early in the morning to be calling someone. Donghyuck was stressing out over their final placement, which was to finish the next week, because they were going to be assessed. He called everyone else that he knew but none of them wanted to stay on call to calm him down. Mark was tempted to become the next one to do that, but even he knew he was nicer than that. 

They talked on the phone until 6am. He wishes he could recall what they said or did, but Mark was so tired and he hated Donghyuck so much that he decided to suppress it. Whatever it was, it helped Donghyuck calm down during their last week of placement, at least he didn’t have to deal with his stress. 

Mark was so busy dealing with Donghyuck throughout his degree that he hadn’t had the time to find his soulmate. He’s met people here and there, but none of them had the sunflower tattoo; perhaps when he gets a job he’ll be able to find them. He was so wrong about that, just like with every other thing. 

* * *

Neo Vision Primary had two Mr. Lees - Mark Lee and Donghyuck Lee. They started working at the school right after finishing university, and the new arrivals led many students - even teachers - to believe that they were married. Mark seemed a lot more upset about that assumption than Donghyuck was, but they both did their part in clearing it up for others, 

“Wouldn’t that be kind of cute though, Markle?” 

“Shut up.”

It didn’t stop the students from making up fantasies, but they were all under 12 years old, so what could they do? It only took three months for Mark to finally get his students to stop asking questions, 

“Do you like Mr. Lee, Mr. Lee?” It pained Mark to say the next words, 

“Of course, but not in that way, he’s just a colleague.” Word would spread fast that Mr. Mark Lee actually hated Mr. Donghyuck Lee, so he had to suck it up. 

Mark doesn’t know how Donghyuck could be considered a decent teacher. Unlike him, who wears a nice button up and dress pants for work, Donghyuck dresses so casually for the job. He’d spin into his classroom donning rainbow sweaters and t-shirts that made him look like Spider-Man, 

“Is Mr. Lee actually Spider-Man, Mr. Lee?” 

“Oh… Oh absolutely, but we must keep that a secret!”

He _knows_ Donghyuck is far too easy on the kids - his idea of punishment for excessive talking in the classroom was a warning. Even if it happened over and over, it would only stay as a warning. He’s probably marched into Donghyuck’s classroom once or twice to give the students a warning himself. 

He even acts like a kid sometimes - I mean, if you work with kids it makes sense, but joining them on the child-sized playground was too much according to Mark. One afternoon, when all of the students were finally picked up, he had to help Donghyuck out of the sandpit. The kids whose parents always turn up late thought it would be fun to bury their teacher, although they could only get him as far as his hips in their tiny sandpit. Mark felt so glad that he didn’t have to drive Donghyuck home after that, 

“Thank you, Markle,” he groaned as Mark pulled at his wrists, “You’ve always been so sweet to me,” Mark wanted to groan himself but he didn’t say anything. 

Jeez, even in his career Mark was distracted by Donghyuck. He needed to get a grip on himself. Sure, he has an _intense_ feeling for his classmate-turned-coworker but Mark told himself it was just a strong dislike. He needed to get out there and find his soulmate, find whoever shares the sunflower and bee tattoo. 

* * *

Mr. Lee was in the middle of teaching his students about punctuation, about when it’s appropriate to leave an exclamation mark instead of a full stop, when Mr. Lee knocked on the classroom door!

“Yo, Mr. Lee, can I borrow some markers?” Some of Mark’s students waved at their visitor, which Donghyuck returned, 

“Mr. Lee,” Mark sighed, “I lent you two markers before the lunch break, how could you have lost them?” this made some of his students giggle. Mark had to hold back from giving a side glare,

“I don’t know, Mr. Lee, I just do,” Donghyuck’s dramatic shrug sent a wave of laughter throughout the classroom, causing Mark to silence the students with a finger to his lips. 

Mark was oh so tempted to kick him out, there were plenty of other teachers in the hallway that Donghyuck could annoy and yet he chose him. But they needed to keep up the friendly charade for the sake of teaching, so he passed his colleague a marker before shooing him away. 

When the bell for the second break rang, Mark marched straight to Donghyuck’s classroom. His students were still halfway out the door, meaning that Mark was going against the basic rules of child care, but he didn’t care. He didn’t want to spend money on more supplies just because his co-worker couldn’t find his own, but when he went into Donghyuck’s classroom just to see a _pile_ of markers on his desk, he was mad,

“You know you really fucking piss me off, right?” Mark was so glad that Donghyuck’s students had already left, 

“I know, Markle,” his voice dripped with honey, making Mark even more angry at his calm response, “You’re coming for drinks at Nana’s house tonight?” 

Mark didn’t have to answer because they both already knew it. He just snatched the numerous markers on Donghyuck’s desk before spinning on his heel to leave. 

* * *

Jaemin’s partying habits didn’t finish at graduation. He was still able to throw a banging party even for the teachers at Neo Vision Primary, much to Mark’s delight. 

Mark was 25 now. He’s had his tattoo for five years but he hasn’t found his soulmate. His buddy Ten found his at a coffee shop a few years ago. Jaemin met his last year at their university’s acting club, and he and Jeno are already set to marry at the end of the year. Mark was tired of looking, and now he was afraid he’d never find his, 

“I know I spent the first few years at university but I’m READY!” he roared his proclamation across Jaemin’s living room, loud enough even for the teachers outside to hear, 

“The tattoo is so _OOOOBBBVIOUS_ too! Dontcha think I could find them _eaaaassill_ , ugh, _easilyy_ by now?” Mark clutched onto Jaemin’s arm as he continued to yell, 

“I met a _lllladddy_ at the supermarket who had a rose in the same spot, b-but that doesn’t coutntt, right?” Jaemin shook his head and gently patted Mark on the head, soothing him. 

Mark pulled up his sleeve to show Jaemin, as if he hasn’t seen it forty times already. He met the sunflower and bee once more, embellished on Mark’s arm like a cute, permanent sticker. Doyoung, sitting next to Mark’s other side, quietly asked Mark to show him, which he gladly did. And then he showed Taeyong, and then he showed Jungwoo, and then he showed Jaemin once more. Mark showed his tattoo to anybody that came within a metre of him because he was just that devastated that he hadn’t found them. 

Everyone, drunk and buzzed, began to show off their tattoos. As teachers, they aren’t allowed to discuss their tattoos around the students because it led to too many questions, so they gladly took on the chance to finally talk about their markings. Taeyong, who’s already met his soulmate, had a rose on his neck. Doyoung had a blue-green abstract piece running down his entire leg, he’s almost 30 but has yet to meet his partner. Jungwoo stripped so they could see the massive wings on his back, greatly detailed with soft, grey feathers; there are lots of people with wings, but he eventually found his soulmate too. 

Donghyuck was the last person who hadn’t shown his tattoo. No one had actually seen it before because he always gives the same answer, 

“It’s in a private spot, I don’t want to take off my clothes for that.”

He never happens to take a picture either, he just ‘doesn’t have the time’. Mark didn’t care, he only cared about his own soulmate and where they could be. 

The night was spent on alcohol and stories, from how Taeyong met his soulmate to whether Doyoung even plans to find his. When it got really late, Jaemin suggested that Donghyuck takes Mark home for the night, 

“Whyyy? For fuckssake, Jaems, I can just stay here,” Mark was smart enough to know that he can’t drive on his own - he’s far too drunk for that, 

“Donghyuck lives really close and he’s definitely a lot more sober than you. You can thank me later,” he slapped Mark on the back to get him up and going, causing him to groan. 

He hated Lee Donghyuck. 

* * *

If Mark could string together the events leading up to him falling asleep on Donghyuck’s couch, this was the best way he could articulate it. 

He remembers being in a car, the passenger’s seat probably but he’s not totally sure. He only recalls the movement, some faint radio music, and Donghyuck pulling him out of the car to take him into his house. Next thing he knew, Mark was on a couch with a surprisingly comfortable blanket on top of him. Sleepiness was tempting him, but he wanted the last word with the guy before he could pass out, 

“I hate your gutttss, Hyuck,”

He honestly didn’t know if he actually heard him or not, 

“But your couch is comfy.”


	7. Ink - Donghyuck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donghyuck decides it's time for Mark to stop hating him.

Donghyuck will always remember the day he woke up with his soulmate tattoo. 

Renjun had slept over to be with Donghyuck for the big reveal. He’d already gotten his tattoo a few months ago - a heart dripping with thick pink and bright blue ink, placed on his forearm. Renjun said he will be patient for his soulmate, he would rather meet them naturally than actively look for them. Donghyuck held the same sentiments, but heck, he couldn’t wait to see his tattoo. 

It was the first thing he spotted that morning. When he woke up, he lifted his arms to look for it and found it straight away: a cute little bumblebee resting on a sunflower. His heart raced so much with excitement that he woke up his friend by rolling off the bed and landing right on top of him. Renjun learned that being woken up like that is just as unpleasant as it sounds, but he was delighted for Donghyuck. 

Now, look, it’s incredibly rare for soulmates to find each other straight away; finding them in the first year is already uncommon. You’re more likely to meet them after two, three or five years. So when Donghyuck had the sudden urge to attend his morning lecture for once, he didn’t know why until he finally managed to open the door into the lecture hall. When he regained his footing he looked up to find a chair to sit in, and that’s when he met eyes with Mark Lee. 

Donghyuck could feel a buzz in his chest, as if the bumblebee on his arm came to life and struck his heart. Sweet, sweet honey drowned his heart in a delicious, comforting warmth. He wouldn’t learn until later that Mark Lee was his soulmate. 

And Mark absolutely hated him. 

Did Donghyuck know why? Nope, but he wishes he did. 

He met Mark again next semester; turns out they had every class together, which wasn’t Donghyuck’s intention, but it was a great excuse to be around him. However, the minute he tried to strike a conversation with Mark he got shut down. Mark didn’t want anything to do with Donghyuck no matter how hard he tried, even though Donghyuck liked him. He tried getting his help with their assessment, with lecture notes, with professors, he somehow even followed Mark into the same schools for their student prac, but nothing! 

He couldn’t help it, he was drawn to Mark. Donghyuck wanted to be around him as much as he could, for as long as he could, no matter how Mark felt. Perhaps it was the third or fourth year of knowing Mark, well and truly after having met each other, that he realised he was in love with him, but there wasn’t the slightest clue if Mark felt the same way. 

He’s wanted to tell Mark the truth so many times. He literally could’ve done it on the first day back of the semester, but he was too shocked by Mark pushing him away that he didn’t. Since then, Donghyuck has been afraid of how Mark would react if he ever found out. Your soulmate is meant to be somebody you  _ enjoy _ being around - he’s heard of enemy soulmates but he didn’t think they actually existed! 

Besides, he doesn’t hate Mark and he knows it. 

Donghyuck has tried to look for answers, but it didn't seem to be a common occurrence. I mean, most soulmates turn out to be best friends and lovers, but it seemed like Donghyuck had to find his own way around this. How he was going to do that, he hadn’t the faintest clue. Every scenario he can come up with gives him anxiety. 

If Mark rejects their fate, if Mark finally pushes Donghyuck away for good, he knows that it will ruin him. That warm, honey feeling he felt that day has never gone away. It makes him smile. It makes him feel like Mark already loves him back, whether or not he actually does. Donghyuck knows what happens to soulmates when one of them dies - he’s afraid it will be the same if Mark doesn’t accept their link. 

He already spends his nights kicking at his blanket, thinking of ways to finally confess to Mark. Everytime he waltzes into his classroom just to annoy the shit out of him, it makes him giddy that he’s got his attention even if it displeases the other. He actually cares for Mark, even if Mark doesn’t realise it. 

On many more occasions than one, Mark wouldn’t bring lunch. 

In university.  _ “I have back to back classes for five hours, there’s no time.” _

While studying.  _ “Snacks are sufficient! I don’t have time to eat.” _ (writer’s note: No they’re not and yes you do! Take breaks and eat good meals!)

And even now, at work.  _ “I’ve got duties to do during the break, I don’t have time.” _

  
  


And Donghyuck has gotten  _ so _ used to it. He can almost predict the day that Mark won’t bring his lunch, and as much as Mark claims to hate Donghyuck’s guts, he always takes the food. He always compliments Donghyuck’s cooking, which he can’t help but find awfully endearing. 

“It’s actually really nice, Donghyuck. Thank you.”

And Donghyuck wants to cook for him everyday. 

* * *

The glorious scent of bacon wafted the air in Donghyuck’s kitchen, which was right next to the living room. He knew it would wake up Mark because he was going to be hungry, and his theory was proven correct when he heard a weak groan from his couch. 

Bacon and eggs slid off of Donghyuck’s greasy pan and onto the two plates he prepared for them. He didn’t even make it to the table when Mark piped up, still on the couch but sitting up with sleepy eyes, 

“Why did-” a searing headache must have hit Mark because he groaned before he made it to his question. Donghyuck stood with the plates in hand, a bit annoyed that this was the first interaction they were having this morning, 

“Why did…” this time he paused, realising that perhaps speaking too fast would send another striking pain in his head, “Why did you take me to your place? I don’t even like you…”

He always makes a point to let people know he doesn’t like Donghyuck, even to Donghyuck himself, 

“We’re co-workers, Mark,” as if he needs reminding, “It’s not like we did anything.” 

“It’s not like we were around the kids either, we didn’t have to put on the show.” Donghyuck rolled his eyes. 

He loved Mark, but he wants to smack him with a greasy pan sometimes, 

“We were in a  _ work environment _ with our other co-workers. It’d be inappropriate to show off our true relationship to them.” And they both knew he had a point, even if everyone knew about Mark’s ongoing hatred for Donghyuck. 

Donghyuck can see the surprise in his soulmate’s face when he saw the bacon and eggs, as well as the way Mark got up from the couch to sit at the table Donghyuck put the plates on, 

“You didn’t have to-”

“For goodness sake, Mark Lee! Just sit and eat and let me be nice,”

Mark only clicked his tongue at him.

They sat and ate for a little while. Donghyuck had put on a slow jazz playlist to muse the room’s warm, morning ambiance. He could tell that Mark was enjoying everything, and he could tell he was about to say something too, so he stopped his fork midway to his mouth and waited for him spit it out,

“This is actually my favourite kind of breakfast.” the expression on Mark’s face was awkward, and he could see he was trying to be nice too. Donghyuck wanted to giggle, but chose not to respond instead, 

“How…” Mark seemed to hesitate a bit, perhaps he was afraid his question was going to sound stupid, “How did you know it was my favourite?”

But Donghyuck knows exactly how. Donghyuck tossed a dice, but the weird thing about soulmates is that you already know everything about them before you even meet them, 

“I don’t know.” Donghyuck shrugged. “I just guessed.” And it was kind of true. 

He played at the sleeve of his sweater. The marking underneath that sleeve seemed to tingle, asking to come out and reveal itself. Donghyuck lightly tapped at that spot to calm it down. 

He really needed to ask. 

“Why do you even hate me, Mark?” his voice came out more softly than he intended, as if he was afraid, but he knows Mark heard him. 

Except they sat in silence for a while, save for the music. 

Mark was actually having a hard time formulating an answer, and it hurt Donghyuck thinking that maybe he was faking it all along, but he had to know, 

“You irritate me,” he finally answered, “so, so badly.”

Donghyuck cocked an eyebrow. 

“Is that really a good reason to hate someone?” 

But Mark didn’t respond. They both know the answer to that. Regardless, the silence stretched for a while longer before Donghyuck spoke again, speaking words he’s had in mind for a long time,

“How do you think I feel hearing you say that about me, Markle?” He knows Mark doesn’t like that name, but he didn’t have time to respond before Donghyuck continued, “Everyone we meet has to know that Mark Lee hates his classmate-turned-colleague, Donghyuck Lee.”

Mark wasn’t looking at him. The liquid yolk and half eaten bacon suddenly looked very interesting to Mark. Seeing that he won’t say anything, Donghyuck continued, 

“I like working with you,” he made sure to be firm about that, “This is a petty relationship at this point. We can go past this.”

He still wouldn’t look at him, but Donghyuck could swear he saw him glance up for a quick second before looking back at the plate, 

“Can we be friends?” 

Another minute ticked by before Mark finally lifted his head. They didn’t have to say anything to know that he’s agreed to the request. They’re soulmates, sometimes words just don’t need to be spoken to know what the other is feeling. 

Donghyuck hopes he won’t have to say anything to make Mark find out.

It wasn’t easy for Mark, to say the least. It’s not exactly easy to break out of a five year habit of hating Lee Donghyuck, but Hyuck was patient. It started off with Mark giving Donghyuck a cup of coffee every lunch break, making the fellow teachers raise their eyebrows in the lounge room. Then Donghyuck started asking Mark for advice on disruptive students, surprising his own students when he actually disciplined them for once instead of letting it slide. When their classes went to the zoo, everyone saw Mr. Mark Lee buy Mr. Donghyuck Lee the pudu plush because ‘it looks just like him!’

They were actually  _ getting along _ . The teachers could see the change after a week or two; the glooming tension was no longer there and Mark was smiling around Donghyuck. And Donghyuck couldn’t look more relieved! Not so surprisingly, they asked them if they started dating - both of them keep saying no. For now, at least. 

“Markle and I maybe all friendly for  _ real _ now, but it doesn’t mean we’re smooching lips!” Donghyuck pointed at Jaemin accusingly, 

“Whatever.” Jaemin shrugged. “It’s nice, for a change.” 

Taeyong piped up, “Why do you call him ‘Markle’, then? Kind of like a nickname a boyfriend with give?” but Donghyuck could only roll his eyes, 

“I’ve used that nickname since we were in university!”

He didn’t know how but Donghyuck was falling for Mark even more. Maybe it’s because there’s a bigger chance of them actually getting together, or that Mark has finally pushed aside his petty hatred. Either way, the flaming pit in his chest was recognisable, and it was only getting hotter. 

It burned him everytime he thought of Mark. 

Mark needs to know. 

* * *

The final bell rang for the day, signalling the kids to get up from their seats, file out of the door and head on their merry way home. Mark smiled and waved at his students as they said goodbye to him, their cute faces making him giggle with delight. He made sure to speak to every single one of them to make sure they know he cares for them, all the way up to his last student. 

With a soft click, Mark shut the door and let out a long, rough sigh. He’d had a particularly stressful day: one of his students wouldn’t cooperate  _ at all. _ They merely sat in their seat during class with their arms crossed over their chest all huffy, pretending not to listen to their teacher whenever he tried to discipline them. Mark already set a meeting with the student’s parents, but the fact that he couldn’t get the kid to budge made him feel like an incompetent teacher. How can you have a career with kids when you can’t get  **one** to do their work? That’s what worried Mark. 

Donghyuck must’ve had a student like this, at least one, Mark hoped. Surely, he knew how to handle it. 

Mark leaned against his desk for a while longer, composing his thoughts and his breath. He let the warmth of the classroom overwhelm him to settle his stress before he made his way to Donghyuck’s classroom. It was only late in the afternoon, but the sun painted the hallways with a blindingly bright orange that reminded him of university. Of days when he’d cram himself into oblivion before Donghyuck annoyed him into taking a break. Of days where class ended before nightfall and they would take the bus together, where Donghyuck refused to share his music with Mark because he criticised it so much. 

Donghyuck has always been with Mark, even if Mark doesn’t realise it. Even if Mark says he hates him. 

He opened the door to Donghyuck’s classroom. The orange spilled onto the green and purple carpets and onto the plastic desks spread throughout the room. Orange was about to become Mark’s favourite colour, because the way it wrapped around Donghyuck and made him look like the most famous painting in a museum made him far more excited than he’d like to admit. 

And that’s when he saw it. 

Come to think of it, Donghyuck has  _ never _ been seen with short sleeves, or any sleeves that went higher than his elbow. If Mark ever noticed that before today he would have asked why, but he didn’t need to. 

Because he sees it. 

Just past the white sleeves on Donghyuck’s arm crested a bee snuggled against a sunflower. It was small, small but detailed with colour and intricacy. The exact same one as the tattoo on Mark’s bicep. A fire lit in Mark’s chest but it wasn’t comforting; it didn’t feel like he was falling in love. 

He was angry. 

* * *

Donghyuck felt his heart drop when he saw Mark stop at the door. He merely opened it and stood there with his eyes fixed on his arm. He knew he saw it: the secret he has hidden for so long.

They were frozen in silence for a while - neither of them moved nor spoke, both too shocked to do anything. Fear bubbled where Donghyuck’s heart previously laid; it numbed his arms and legs, he couldn’t feel his feet. He had to lean on his desk to keep himself standing. 

The next thing he knew was Mark yelling his ears off for deceiving him. For not telling him sooner, for lying about his tattoo, for knowing all this time. Each insult and reprimand cut into his heart, a heart so loving but so sensitive. A heart that dreaded this moment. 

He knew Mark was desperate. He’s listened to Mark talk about his soulmate for hours: how excited he was to meet them, how he wanted to make happy memories and how he couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life with them. So many times would he hear Mark whine about not being able to find them, feeling like he’s losing the time he could be spending with them, even though he was with them all along. 

Donghyuck was afraid. 

And as the years went by, the fear only ate away at him even more. 

He was afraid that he would upset Mark. 

That he couldn’t be what Mark wanted. 

That he would actually reject him and break his heart. 

And now his worst nightmare is coming true. 

Mark began to ask why, but Donghyuck could only shake his head. He asked again, louder, but Donghyuck wouldn’t respond. He grabbed Donghyuck by the arm and pulled him closer, fiercely demanding for an answer. 

Silence rang in the air. The grip on Donghyuck’s arm got tighter the longer it stretched. He finally gathered the courage to slowly look up to meet eyes with Mark. His heart was shaking so much he thought it might just burst and spill out of his chest right there. He couldn’t read Mark for the life of him - he merely saw a fire burning. 

Donghyuck suddenly felt his desk hitting him in the lower back, the grip on his arm no longer there. The next thing he knew, the door to his classroom slammed shut with Mark’s exit. 

Heat surfaced on his cheeks. He brought a hand up to his face to see that it was wet. The rest of Donghyuck’s senses came back to him; if he wasn’t doing it before, he was now trembling. He slid down the side of his desk, settling on the floor below him with a muffled thud. The next thing to come back to him was his hearing: his cries were begging for the pain in his chest to stop, to let him feel nothing and make Mark come back. 


End file.
